Harry Potter and the Dark Path
by Spider1111
Summary: A POST HPB fic: Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione have to continue their mission to destroy Voldemort, but will it lead to a happy ending or to their deaths? Relationships include: HPGW RWHG and others to come
1. The Beginning of the End

The Beginning of the End

A/N You know the drill, none of the characters or the central idea is mine, it's all J.K. Rowling's.

It was a dark, damp, and dreary cave. In the distance was the sound of dripping water, for all around was an oppressive humidity; a smothering thickness that chilled to the bone. The cavern walls were lined with torches and every couple paces, there was a gap in the light, showing where a tunnel came off. In the center of this cavern stood Harry and Ginny, standing back to back, trying to discern where the horrible, cold laughter was coming from. But even worse than the laughter was the constant sound of footsteps that fell just out of sight. Unable to see their enemy, all Harry and Ginny could do is turn in tight circles. Sudden, fleeting shadows of a hunter flashed by and, though they always disappeared too soon for Harry to see who it was, he knew. He knew that cold laughter, even the taunting way his unseen foe circled them. This could be none other than Lord Voldemort himself, come to take care of Harry in person. Suddenly the sound of footsteps stopped and the laughter grew. There was a brilliant flash of green light and, though Harry dove in front of her, Ginny fell to the ground, lifeless…

Harry sat bolt upright in his bed, panting, and cold sweat dripped all over his body. These dreams weren't unusual; every night someone Harry deeply cared about died - though it was usually Ginny. Harry looked over at his alarm clock; the glowing red letters read 8:30, so it was past time for him to get up anyway. As he did every morning, Harry got dressed quickly, then went back over to his bed, picked up his pillow, and threw it at a still sleeping Ron. Ron jumped up startled, got twisted up in his covers, and then promptly fell off of his bed.

"Ouch!" exclaimed Ron rubbing his forehead. "Do you have to wake me up like that every morning?"

"Well, if you would just start waking up on time, I wouldn't have to," replied Harry.

Ron grumbled something inaudible, then struggled his way out of the tangled mess that was his covers, and started to get dressed. Harry, after seeing that Ron was indeed awake and not just going back to sleep on the floor, walked out of the room to go downstairs. Passing the room where Hermione was staying, he saw that the door was slightly cracked and the light was off. Of course, Hermione had probably gotten up at the crack of dawn, eaten a perfectly healthy breakfast, and had already started her daily reading, including books like, Defense Against the Dark Arts: A List of Defensive Spells and Amelia Abernathy's Annotated History of Dark Wizards. 

Harry had reached the kitchen, which was, as usual, abandoned. Ever since Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived at the Dursleys' doorstep, the Dursleys had been going to bed early and waking up late. Even when they did leave their rooms they tended to stay in the living room and the kitchen. Much worse for the Dursleys was that these extra guests had come of age in the wizarding world and could therefore do magic outside of school. Harry had the great joy of watching the Dursleys shiver in a corner as Ron and Hermione performed enlargement charms and transformed different parts of the house to accommodate the extra quests. Of course, it was Hermione that had added the library onto the house, which was probably where she was now.

Harry put on some toast, which popped out crisp and warm just as he had finished pouring himself a glass of orange juice. He had just taken a bite when Hermione walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Harry. Is Ron getting up?"

Harry rolled his eyes. For a while now (the day after they arrived at the Dursleys') Ron and Hermione had been dating; and except for when Ron was sleeping, they had been inseparable. Even though this was a major improvement to their constant bickering, it was still rather annoying.

"Well, I made an attempt at waking him up earlier, and I thought that it worked, but a guess not. But… I bet you could persuade him," Harry said, chuckling a little.

"Oh, stop your teasing… but I will see if I can get him up. Oh, stop laughing!" And with that, Hermione left, no doubt about to use Harry's idea of persuasion to wake Ron up.

For a while Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been discussing going back to school. McGonagall, in hopes of persuading Harry and his friends to return, had sent a personal letter to them announcing the schools reopening, providing parents still let their children come. Harry was starting to have doubts about his decision to stop his schooling, and Hermione was making really good points to return.

"We don't know enough yet to destroy these Horcruxes. I mean, Dumbledore himself almost died last year destroying Slytherin's ring, didn't he? And I am sure we can work it out with McGonagall to come and go out of the school as we please, and to give us private lessons to help us." Hermione was telling Harry, very quickly, for about the hundredth time.

"Yes, I hear you, Hermione - just like all the other times - and like I've told you before you're making sense, but I have got to think it over for a while."

But that wasn't the only thing Harry was thinking about. Yes, he had spent much of the last week at the Dursleys' thinking about whether or not to go back to school. But mainly he thought of his break-up with Ginny. If Voldemort was such a good Leglimens, which Harry knew from experience that he was, wouldn't he be able to tell, whether he was going out with Ginny or not, that he had strong feelings for her? Of course he would, Harry decided, and having known what it felt like to be with her, being without her was driving him crazy. Harry wasn't looking forward to asking her back; although she didn't seem mad at the funeral, he didn't think he could handle the awkwardness. And with his return to the Burrow happening in three days, Harry thought he would die with anticipation.

Tuesday rolled around and Harry found himself thinking about his leaving the Dursleys' for the last time. He was happy to leave early, not just because he would get away from the Dursleys' sooner, but because this would mean Harry would be spending his birthday with the Weasleys. An escort to the Burrow would be coming at 4:00 that afternoon, three hours from now. They had been told to expect a fairly large group. With Voldemort now openly attacking, they were afraid that there would be an attempt to get to Harry during transport.

Ron and Hermione had been packing at ease. They were often found just lounging around on the couch together doing some of those sweet, yet kind of sickening, couple things. They now spent hours just being together; talking in each others ears, and occasionally running up to Hermione's room for some snogging. Harry found that these things did not help his morale. Walking in on this behavior only made him think about Ginny more and more. Unlike Ron and Hermione, Harry had had all his things packed since last night except for what he needed the next day, which he had added to the jumble of his things earlier this morning.

Promptly at 4:00 there was a sharp knock on the door. Harry rushed to the door to find Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, Mr. Weasley, Bill Weasley, the Weasley Twins, and two other people he didn't know.

"Well, let us in, do you want us to get ambushed by the enemy?" growled Moody, who practiced, as he put it, "CONSTANT VIGILANCE".

Harry let them in just as Hermione and Ron came down the stairs with all of their trunks in tow. After some greetings and introductions, they were ready to leave. But just as Moody opened the door, Aunt Petunia peeked down the stairs. Harry looked over just in time to see her expression change from surprise to sadness. She quickly ran to Harry and with tears running down her face, she looked down at him and said, "Goodbye Harry. I am so sorry for… everything."

"Bye," was all Harry could get out in his shock. And with that, Aunt Petunia turned around and ran back up the stairs, still crying. Once outside and mounting their brooms, Ron looked over to Harry and asked, "What was that about? Don't they all hate you?"

"Beats me. I figured they'd be throwing a party at seeing the back of me."

"I think you've greatly misjudged your aunt, Harry. Obviously, she was very sad about something," scolded Hermione in her usual knowing way. Luckily, Hermione's judgment would have to wait - at that moment, Moody yelled for them to take off.

After about a dozen direction changes, and hundreds of position rotations around Harry and his friends, they were finally nearing the Burrow. Like Harry's last, long broom ride from the Dursleys', Harry's hands were frozen to his broom stick. More to distract himself from the cold than actually having any interest, Harry started to look around at the scenery below. He spotted a group of people on the ground huddle behind a low garden wall.

Suddenly, Moody cried out to take evasive maneuvers and battle positions. "Enemy behind the garden wall at four 0clock!" Snarled Moody through the howling wind. Wands flew out of everyone's pockets and Harry's Advance Guard started to rotate around him. In fact, they were rotating so rapidly it was beginning to make Harry dizzy. Harry frantically looked down at the group of people he had spotted earlier and just noticed the wands pointed up at them.  
At that moment, spells started whizzing by, one barely missing Mr. Weasley's head .

"We'll, either have to land and fight to the Burrow, or ascend and go on to one of the safe houses, but they could chase if we stay on broom. But we can't stay in the air - its too easy for them to pick us off," shouted Moody.

"We'll land behind that shed; we can secure it easily and get the kids inside," answered Mr. Weasley.

"Alright, three, two, one, DIVE!" ordered Mad-eye.

But just as they were landing next to the shed, a loud explosion erupted, blowing the shed apart. Harry heard screaming and saw Fred or George, he couldn't tell which, lying on the ground, knocked out… or worse.

A/N: This is my first fic so PLEASE REVIEW. Without reviews and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism I can't make this fic better. :) 


	2. Home Again

Home Again

Disclaimer: The plot, main characters, and just about everything, is J. K. Rowling's, not mine.

A/N: Sorry it has taken a while to get this chapter up. Like I said before, this is my first fanfic, and so it is taking me a while. And again, I'd like to give a big thanks to Mudblood428 for doing another amazing job beta reading for me.

There was blood pooling around the Twin's head from a nasty gash across his face. His left arm was sticking out at an awkward angle, and his nose seemed to have an extra curve. Everyone had all moved over behind a garden wall opposite the Death Eaters. Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, and the two new Aurors whom Harry now knew to be Anthony, and Emily were currently trying to hold off the Death Eaters long enough for reinforcements to come. Mr. Weasley, Harry, Bill Weasley, and the other Twin were huddled around the injured one.

"Alright, lets wake up Fred," grimaced Mr. Weasley

"No Dad, I'm Fred, That's George," announced Fred.

"Enervate," muttered Mr. Weasley.

"Auugghh," groaned the Weasley twin.

"Decided to take a little nap, did we?" Fred joked nervously.

"Yeah, I guess I just didn't get enough sleep last night, and you lot obviously had things covered here."

But the joking had to end there. Outnumbered, the others weren't doing well against the Death Eaters. In noticing this, Harry quickly turned from the Weasleys and rejoined the battle. Harry scanned the opposition, and to his disgust he spotted Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy, newly escaped from Azkaban, both surrounded by their fellow Death Eaters. Rage coursed through Harry and blood pounded in his ears; how he hated them. Whether or not they were directly involved, they were partners in the murder of several people Harry held dear. Gripped by anger, Harry started to spew out spell upon spell. The Weasleys quickly joined him, and between their efforts and his sudden outburst it was hard for the Death Eaters to block them all, and even harder to cast any themselves. Harry started smirking. This battle was theirs, and soon he would have the great delight of seeing Lucius Malfoy being hauled off to Azkaban again. 

Lucius, seeing that his side was losing, went over and touched Bellatrix's Dark Mark. It glowed, and almost instantly slight pops were heard over the noise of battle. As more and more Death Eaters arrived they started to take over the houses on either side of their garden wall and so were able not only to fire from straight across but also from above the Order. Fred, George, and Bill Weasley were now assigned the task of blocking spells while the others tried to pick off their opponents. There was shouting amongst the Death Eaters and suddenly three bright flashes came from Bellatrix's wand, obviously signaling something to her troops. In unison, the Death Eaters each picked a target and fired a stunning spell. Both Weasley twins fell, as did Bill, Tonks, and Emily.

Harry looked around in sheer terror. There was no way four could last long against twenty. Harry knew then that what he was about to do would either be incredibly stupid or extremely brave. He knew he had to do something to draw the fire away from the others and make it possible for them to hold out until reinforcements came. But he had no idea what that thing was. Harry thought he heard a distant pop, but he didn't have time to think of that now. What he needed to do now was get them out of this.

He quickly vaulted the garden wall. Harry ducked down and muttered "Protego," blocking many stunning spells from hitting there target. He then dodged behind a car barley missing a killing curse. Dashing around the car, Harry picked four marks and sent stunning spells at them, three of which hit their mark. Harry looked away from his targets just in time to see several different killing curses coming at him. He fell to the ground, barely dodging them and without thinking he turned, and with all the strength he could muster, he bellowed "SECTUMSEMPRA!" as he swished his wand in a great arc starting at the corner of the first house, across the garden wall, and ending at the corner of the second house.

The spell left his wand in a jagged, purple line. Time seemed to slow as he felt the surge of power leaving him and he watched it travel. The spell hit. Immediately, the curse cut through the sides of the houses, bursting the water lines and sending water everywhere. The sections above where the houses were cleaved came crashing down upon the Death Eaters bellow with a horrible crunch. Then the garden wall split across its middle and fell over, exposing the Death Eaters. In some places, where the wall had been thinner, the spell continued on, causing sprays of blood to explode out of Death Eaters chests before they went pale and fell to the ground.

Harry scrambled up, but before he could even get back to the rest of the Order, three beams of red lights converged and hit him straight in the face…and he saw no more.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It was amazing - you should have of seen it. He just jumped over the wall and blocked like five spells with just a flick of his wand. Then he took out like three people with stunners. And finally, he does that 'sectumsempra' thing, and we all felt like this big rush of wind, and it cut through stone!"

"But it only cut me, how could it cut through stone?"

"That's what I'm saying. This was mighty powerful stuff."

"Now you lot wouldn't be talking about me behind my back would you?" Harry's head hurt and his vision was really blurry, he reached over and grabbed his glasses of the bed side table. As the scene before him came into focus he could see the Weasley twins, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny sitting in front of his bed looking both anxious and excited. He was in the Twin's old room; lying around him were the boxes full of Fred and George's old things.

"No, we're talking about you right in front of you," remarked Fred.

"Harry!" Suddenly Harry was hit by a big brown blur.

"Now Hermione, give him some room to breathe," said Ron.

"Mum, Mum! Harry's awake!" called Ginny.

There were some quick footsteps, and through the door came Mrs. Weasley followed by Bill, Mr. Weasley, and Remus Lupin. Harry was soon trapped in one of Mrs. Weasley's bone crushing hugs.

"Oh, I am so glad you're all right, we've been so worried about you! Don't you ever do anything like that again do you understand me! That was foolish." Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"Alright, Mrs. Weasley I'll try. But there is one thing I don't understand. How is it that Fred and George saw what I did? They were knocked out when I did it."

"That's because before you even jumped over that wall, the rest of the Order, myself included, and half of the Aurors Apparated and revived them all. As soon as you got hit with the stunning spell we finished off the exposed Death Eaters and got you."

"So you needn't have done your "saving people thing"." Hermione added, smiling.

Harry turned a slight shade of red and laid back down. He couldn't believe he had done something so foolish. He had always had the tendency to impulsively act the hero, and it had almost always led to some serious trouble.

"But it was still amazing, mate. I've only seen that type of magic from Dumbledore," said George.

Harry went pink again. That was a major compliment, but Harry knew it wasn't true. It was a good block, his stunning spells were accurate, and he had no idea how the sectumsempra went through stone, but… be as good as Dumbledore? There was just no way. The only thing special about him was his scar and a prophecy - it wasn't power, it was luck. Wasn't it?

"Well, I'm just glad to be home again."

A/N: I hope you liked it. :) Plz read and review. I can't make it any better without reviews and right now all I have is 2 (mine and a friends). 


	3. Decisions, Decisions

Decisions, Decisions

Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing at all, this includes the basis and most of the characters in this fic (really wish I did though). :)

A/N: I would like to say thanks to my readers, y'all are awesome. 200 some reads! And again thanks to Mudblood428 for her wondrous job beta-reading.

The next day, Harry woke up with a blinding headache, but, thanks to Mrs. Weasley's excellent care, that was his only remaining symptom leftover from his multiple stunning. He reached over to his nightstand and fumbled around for his glasses. Finding them, he pushed them on his face. As the room came into focus, he got his first whiff of sausage, eggs, and bacon. He quickly threw on some clothes and raced down the stairs and into the kitchen, but when he got there he found, not Mrs. Weasley cooking, but Ginny.

Looking over to see who was making the racket, she caught the expression on Harry's face. An awkward silence fell over them. Harry was just getting the courage to say something when Ron burst in, having obviously smelled the food himself.

Little by little, the rest of the Weasley family arrived in the kitchen. They had their typical meal, with several conversations going on at different areas of the table, but instead of participating, for the most part Harry just listened. After the meal Harry had rushed to get his broom to do some flying to clear his mind, but Ron and Hermione cornered him, leading to a bench in the garden.

"We need to talk," began Hermione.

"What's going on between you and Ginny? Well, more importantly, what have you decided about you and Ginny?" asked Ron.

"Uh, I really don't know. I have listened to what you have both told me throughout our time at the Dursley's and I have been thinking about it, a lot. But… I'm scared to death that something might harm her, but…blimey, I miss her so much. And like you have both said, whether I go out with her or not, Voldemort will know that I will do anything if she is in danger." Harry replied .

"Well, you better decide something fast, because this isn't good for either of you. Ginny is good at hiding her feelings, but I've been her friend for a while, and this is tearing her apart, and if I'm not mistaken, you too."

Ron and Hermione started to walk off when Ron turned around and said, "Oh, and Harry, make the right decision."

Harry spent most of that day in the garden, pacing and thinking. People had tried to approach him to see what was wrong, but Ron and Hermione kept them away. After diner that evening Harry asked Ginny for a word alone.

"What's the matter Harry?"

Harry was pale and sweaty; he kept shuffling his feet and pulling at his collar. He cleared his throat.

"Ginny, I…I think I made a mistake about us. I can only hope that you will accept me back."

Ginny gave Harry a look of hurt and confusion. She then turned on her heel and ran up to her room while Harry stared after her before following after her only to stop at the kitchen door to find a worried Mrs. Weasley and Hermione.

"I'll go talk to her." said Hermione.

Harry decided to follow behind her a ways, just enough to hear. When she turned the corner in front of Ginny's room Harry stopped to peer around the corner.

Hermione knocked timidly on Ginny's door.

"Go away!" She sounded like she was, or had been, crying.

"It's Mione, Ginny" Harry could hear some sniffles and shuffling around before the door opened. She had obviously been crying, but was trying her best to cover it up. Mascara was smeared around her eyes and she kept sniffling and wiping her nose.

"What's wrong Ginny? What happened?"

Hermione stepped farther into Ginny's room and closed the door to a crack. Harry walked up closer and was just able to peer through the crack.

"Harry asked to get back together with me."

"Well, that's good isn't it?" said Hermione who was starting to get excited.

"Well, yes… and no, I don't know! Hermione I just can't go through the pain of him dumping me again and right now I can't be sure that he won't."

"Ginny, Harry cares for you more than anything, that's why he broke-up with you in the first place, but I have been talking to him for the past three weeks and he wants to get back together with you. I don't believe he would give you up again, because the truth is that he does care for you deeply and so… whether you're together or not, you're in danger. Plus, there's the whole fact that half your family is in the Order of the Phoenix, and you're a blood traitor, and that Harry is one of the most powerful wizards of the age and one of the safest places to be is with him."

"And this is how Harry feels - that no matter what I'm in danger and he would never want to let me go again?"

"Yes."

Harry heard her squeal and jump up he whipped around the corner and down the stars, luckily always out of sight of Ginny. He arrived in the kitchen just in time to go out the door and start to pace.

Ginny burst out of the kitchen door and looked around the garden before she spotted him. After running to him she jumped into his arms catching him by surprise.

"Yes!"

"Yes what?" answered Harry. He was still bewildered over the whole situation.

"Yes, I will accept you back, of course!" Then she leaned in and kissed him. When Harry broke the kiss he had a huge smile on his face.

"I'm glad you had a change of heart."

"Well, I think we need to start making up for lost time." With this she leaned in again and they kissed passionately. This lasted until Harry opened his eyes slightly and caught Mrs. Weasley watching them teary eyed.

It had been around a week and everything was going well. Harry spent every moment he could with Ginny, which wasn't too much what with wedding plans happening. Harry had finally found something to take his mind off finding the remaining Horcruxes. Maybe that's why it caught Harry by total surprise when Ron and Hermione cornered him, again.

"Harry can we speak with you for a moment?" Ron and Hermione asked hoping to not anger Ginny by excluding her.

"Yeah, sure. We can go up to Ron's room," Harry answered while giving Ginny a reassuring look.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry headed to the top room. It was still bright orange and messy.

"What are we doing Harry? We have to decide soon," said Hermione as Ron shut the door behind them.

"I know, but I'm just not sure Hermione, I know you think we should go to school, and yes it would help us, but… this is urgent. We have to destroy them and quickly, and I think school would slow us down."

"I don't think that is the way Dumbledore intended us to do this though. He wouldn't have wanted us to rush into it, without even knowing how to destroy a Horcrux, or even where to start looking for one. Hogwarts is where we need to be to start our research and Hogwarts is the safest headquarters. Plus, Voldemort is so far more advanced than we are right now. We need to go back or we don't stand a chance!" She was huffing for lack of air and her face had turned red. She had been worried the whole time that they were about to rush into something that, at this point and skill level, they would surely fail.

Harry waited a long time before answering. He kept going over his past experience with Voldemort, and then he came to Dumbledore's battle against him in the Atrium. He couldn't fight like that - not yet anyway. He had only been on the receiving end of Voldemort's full power once.

"Your right. We can't do this now. We need to go back to Hogwarts." At this statement, Hermione squealed and hugged Harry. He knew Hermione's biggest goal was to be Head Girl, and it had been killing him to know that he would be taking that away from her.

"We have to write McGonagall, tell her what's going on, and arrange with her our extra lessons and get permission to leave when we need. Also, we need to discuss who to tell, if anyone else."

"Well, I'm one person you don't need to tell, not that you would!" To their total dismay Ginny was standing in the doorway with an Extendable Ear sticking out her left ear. She turned around and ran from the room. A few seconds later they heard her door slam. Harry got up to go after her but Hermione stopped him.

"No Harry, let her be for a while. In the meantime you can write the letter to McGonagall."

Harry sighed and pulled out some parchment, a quill, and ink.

Dear Headmistress McGonagall,

Hermione, Ron, and I need to talk to you in private. It is about what Dumbledore was doing last year when he left the school. Please respond soon.

Harry Potter

A/N: I am not good at mushy scenes so don't expect too many. Also, plz just hit that little review button. Your reviews will tell me either that I am right on target and I shouldn't change anything, or that I went way overboard and I need to right myself, but with nothing I am in the dark! Help me here guys and gals! 


	4. The Meeting

The Meeting

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling nor do I own any part of Harry Potter. I am just a lowly fanfic writer.

A/N: Sorry it took so long guys. Like I said my computer has been down and I just got it back up. This is my longest chapter yet so I hope you like it. As always review, review, review. I get so many reads and yet so few reviews. I need them to know how I'm doing! And, as always, thank you so much Mudblood 428 for your awesome beta reading!

Harry was beginning to feel anxious. It had been a week since he wrote to McGonagall and he still hadn't gotten a response. It just didn't seem like her to not reply as soon as possible, especially about something so important.

Harry had three days until his birthday. He really didn't want a big party, but he knew the Weasleys were going to make a huge deal about his coming of age. After his birthday there was two weeks until the wedding and then a little over one week until they returned to Hogwarts.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the kitchen eating breakfast with the rest of the Weasleys. Ginny was at the other end of the table, hunched over her plate, eating mechanically. Harry knew he should have talked to her sooner after she heard of his and Ron's and Hermione's plans to track down Voldemort's Horcruxes. Now it was harder than ever to confront her. Harry was just about to get up and leave from the table when he noticed four black specks in the sky, heading straight for the Burrow.

"I think our Hogwarts letters are coming," he announced to the others.

Hermione gave a little squeal and ran to open the kitchen window. Four beautiful tawny owls flew threw the window and landed on the kitchen table, legs outstretched. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stepped forward to untie there letters. Hermione paused before opening hers.

"No, I can't. I can't look. I didn't make Head Girl - I just know it; we've broken too many rules."

Ron let out a sound of disgust and ripped her envelope open for her. Out fell a scarlet badge with HG carved into it. Hermione let out another squeal and picked up her badge and started jumping up and down in excitement.

"No, I don't believe it, I'm Head Boy!" exclaimed Ron. Mrs. Weasley flew across the room and embraced Ron in a monstrous hug.

Harry could hear her muffled voice saying, "Bill, Percy, and now Ron, three in one family!"

Harry, on the other hand, had his note out reading one part over and over again. There will be no Quidditch this year.

"What's wrong Harry? You look upset," asked Hermione having noticed Harry's troubled expression.

"Well I guess I should have realized we wouldn't have it."

"Have what?" asked Ron.

"Quidditch… they canceled Quidditch this year. Which means I won't be captain, and won't be able to hang out with you guys during your duties."

"Well, it'll be okay. It worked out fifth year didn't it?"

Harry knew Ron was trying to make him feel better. But he still was going to miss the sport greatly, and it was going to be hard to be without his friends, especially now.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry woke up the day of his birthday and jumped with glee. He could do magic outside of Hogwarts! He grabbed his wand from his side table and summoned his glasses to him even though they were right beside him. He then summoned all his clothes and his watch. Harry walked down stairs a little earlier than usual to meet Ron and Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley was taking Harry and Ron to their apparition tests that morning. Mrs. Weasley had already cooked up some eggs and toast for them to eat before they left. After breakfast they walked outside where they found a ministry car awaiting them.

"Scrimgeour isn't letting you travel anywhere without a guard or a ministry car," said Mr. Weasley.

"He's trying to show everyone that he's protecting me. He's still trying to get publicity for the ministry," said Harry in an angry tone.

In a surprisingly fast time the car pulled up to a back entrance to the ministry. Mr. Weasley led them through an employee's entrance where there was a good deal less people and security was more slack. After being poked and prodded by several devices and having their wands checked three different times, they were allowed into the ministry. Mr. Weasley steered them to the lifts and took them to the floor where the lady's cool voice said, "Apparition testing facility". Harry and Ron were then lead to a through a door and arrived at a long counter with several ladies working.

"Hello and how may I help you?" asked one lady kindly.

"Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are here to take their Apparition tests," stated Mr. Weasley.

"Harry Potter! Why, it is! It's Harry Potter!" announced the woman excitedly causing her fellow workers to look over excitedly as well.

After the excitement went down they were lead through the solid oak doors, down a brightly lit hallway, and through another set of doors to a large circular room full of differently colored rings and partitioning walls. Off to the left was an office that had a large window overlooking the ring-filled room. This was where the witch took them.

"Just go inside and give him these forms," said the witch kindly. She then tapped one of he forms and ink spread across it from where her wand tip hit it rather like the Marauder's map. She then did the same to the other form. After she was done she handed the forms to Mr. Weasley and walked off.

Mr. Weasley knocked on the door and a thin voiced answered from behind it. The door opened to find the same wizard that had come to Hogwarts for their training. Mr. Weasley handed him the forms and he looked over them for a second before looking up.

"Alright, everything seems to be in order. You first, I should think," he said pointing to Ron. "You are to Apparate out of my office into a red ring on the other side of that partition wall. Then Apparate to a green one in the middle of the room. Then Apparate to the orange ring on this side of the same wall as before, and then back into my office okay? Oh, and you are allowed to miss one ring by three feet. More than that distance or more than that many times and you fail."

He had said this rather fast and Ron needed it repeated several times before he was ready.

Looking like he was going to be sick he spun on his heel and with a crack Harry saw him arrive in the designated area. He had Apparated to the very center of the circle. A smile spread across his face and he gave a thumbs-up to Harry. Harry returned it before Ron Apparated again to the center of the room, where, again, he landed in the center of the ring. He spun again, but this time he landed a little out of the circle. Ron looked a little disappointed, but it was within three feet. He then spun once more, where he landed directly in front of the inspector, hand outstretched for his license.

"Very well," said the man before handing over Ron's license, "Now for you. You do the same thing he did"  
Harry nodded and spun on his heel, focusing his whole mind, and body, on that ring. He landed perfectly. He did it again and again, and then finally back into the inspector's office.

"Well well, a perfect score. Here's your license."

Harry was going to say something to Ron about his exceptional score, but thought it better not to after remembering Ron's problems with seemingly always being mediocre. Soon after Mr. Weasley led them back out of the facility where they rode the lifts to the atrium.

"Dad, why don't we Apparate home?" asked Ron eagerly.

"Alright on my count. One, two, three."

With a crack Harry, Ron, and Mr. Weasley were standing in the garden. Harry and them walked up to the house and turned the knob. When he opened the kitchen door there was a loud pop and streamers flew over him while many voices yelled, "Surprise!"

Standing in front of him were about twenty witches and wizards, most of whom were people he knew from the Order of the Phoenix. The kitchen was decked in balloons and streamers and had glitter falling from the ceiling like snow. In the very center of the kitchen, on the table was a huge cake that had to have seven or eight layers. Across the top it said, "Happy 17th Harry".

"Wow, thank you guys!" exclaimed Harry.

Harry made his rounds through the people before dinner started, but he had that ever present feeling that this was just out of place. Having this great, happy time when Harry knew that he was just about plunge into this deadly adventure seemed bittersweet.

As he walked through the party he saw that Tonks, Lupin, Hagrid, Neville, Mad-Eye, Kingsley Shacklbolt, Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, Seamus Finnegan, and Dean Thomas had all showed up. At last he turned a corner and there was Professor McGonagall.

"Potter, I'm sorry I didn't respond but work has been very busy and I knew that I would be attending this party, and, of course I couldn't tell you that I could meet you at the party without spoiling the surprise."

"That's okay Professor. Is it alright if we wait till after the dinner? It should be ready soon and this should take a while"  
"Of course."

Right on time Mrs. Weasley called them all over to the table to have dinner. It was all Harry's favorite foods and candies. They sat around talking and eating and laughing. Harry was having a great time, but was feeling anxious for it to be over to work things over with Professor McGonagall. At the end of the dinner the Twins jumped up to lead them in singing "Happy Birthday Harry" and then demanded cake and presents. So as Mrs. Weasley cut the cake and started diving out pieces, Mr. Weasley went to the closet and levitated all the presents to the table.

As soon as their cake was finished the Twins went to the pile and grabbed to big bags and handed them to Harry. He opened the first bag and found several of his favorite candies and some of their famous joke wands and trick candies. In the other bag he found the latest in shield cloaks and dark detectors and pretty much the Twin's entire line of protection inventions. He also found a note that read: We will meet you tonight in your room for an extra surprise. Harry wasn't quite sure he wanted to know what this surprise was. After this, Harry got his presents from Dean, Neville, Hermione (a book of advance enchantments and spells), Seamus, Kingsley, and Fleur and Bill. Then came Hagrid's present. It was book named, Monstrous Monsters by: Mathilda Magaby, and a big bag of Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. After that was Lupin's and Tonk's, which turned out to be a knife a lot like the one Sirius gave him, but instead of just being able to unlock doors in also detected enchantments and protective spells. Next was Mad-Eye's present. Harry unwrapped it hastily and found it to be a flask like his and an advanced sneak-o-scope. After this came McGonagall's which was a book on Transfiguration and a book covered in paper that read, "Open in private." Harry looked up at her questioningly, but she just simply smiled. Next to last came Ron's. It was a surprisingly a book. Written across the front in curvy gold letters was: Useful Charms and How to Do Them. Finally, the last present was from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"You didn't have to get me anything. After letting me stay in your house, giving me food, and throwing me his party … it's too much."

"Nonsense, we had to get you a present," replied Mrs. Weasley.

Harry opened it and to his amazement it was a Pensieve.

"But, how could get one of these? Where did you find it?"

"It was actually Dumbledore's. He told me to give it to you when you came of age, er, about a month before he died," explained Mr. Weasley.

"Wow, thank you. This is amazing!" He ran up and embraced Mrs. Weasley and then turned and shook Mr. Weasley's hand.

After that the party moved into the den where people split up into small groups and started forming many different conversations. Harry did his best to move from conversation to conversation and see all his guests and friends but all he could think about as seeing Professor McGonagall as soon as possible. As time slipped by so did guests. Neville, Dean, and Seamus left together to head home. After them Lupin and Tonks had to go and then Mad-Eye informed Harry that he had been away from his home too long. Kingsley had to head back to the ministry and Hagrid said that he really should be heading back to Hogwarts. Finally, Bill and Fleur had to go back to their house; they would be leaving tomorrow morning to spend some time with Fleur's family before the wedding.

So it was just the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Professor McGonagall.

"Molly, can I have a word with the children alone, maybe in the twin's old room?"

"Why of course Minerva," replied Mrs. Weasley with a questioning sort of tone.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron followed Professor McGonagall up the stairs to the Twin's old room. Once inside she shut the door behind them and did several wand movements.

"I made it Importable, and put a Silencing Charm on it, we don't want to be disturbed. So, you said you had some things to discuss, and that it was about what Professor Dumbledore was doing last year"  
"Yes, Ron, Hermione, and I can only come back to Hogwarts if we can leave whenever we need to. And we wish to have private lessons with you on advanced spells and dueling," explained Harry, rather quickly.

"Mr. Potter, you had better have a good reason for this. No student is allowed to just, leave school whenever they please. And why would you need lessons on advanced dueling? What are you three planning?" She sounded tense and they could tell that she wasn't happy with what they were asking for.

Harry began to tell her everything that he and Dumbledore had done in his 6th year; how they learned about Voldemort's history, and learned about Voldemort making himself immortal through his seven Horcruxes and what they might be.

"Dumbledore then started to give me private lessons to prepare me to find these Horcruxes and destroy them, and, eventually, Voldemort himself," said Harry.

"The night that Dumbledore died we had gone out to find a Horcrux and he had been weakened by the experience. It ended up that Horcrux was a fake too. But before he died he taught me all that he knew abut the Horcruxes and it is now my and my friend's jobs to find them and destroy them and then destroy Voldemort," Harry explained.

"But," interjected Hermione, speaking for the first time since the conversation started, "We don't know how to destroy Horcruxes, or break through strong enchantments, or are we advanced enough to take on Voldemort or many of his Death Eaters, nor are we positive of what the Horcruxes are."

Professor McGonagall was quiet for a while, and then she finally spoke.

"But you don't really expect to do this, do you? You're children, you're… this is something for an advanced team of Aurors, not three school children."

"That's just it. Aurors can't do it. We have to, and without your help if we have to. This is what Dumbledore expected us to do and this is what he planned. He planned for us three to do it and we need your guidance and training. We need you to support us and we need your lessons. Also Hogwarts is a good and safe place and a wonderful headquarters for us to work out of. And, Dumbledore said that one of the Horcruxes might be there. We need to be able to come back to school. Will you please help us?"

There was another long silence where McGonagall seemed to be in deep thought over all they just told her. A resolution seemed to reach her face.

"I will. I will help you and I will allow this to happen, but I will know all of what is going on. Nothing will be hidden from me, understand"  
"Yes ma'am!" replied all three of them excitedly.

She got up and waved her wand removing the charms. She was just about to leave when she turned around and said, "That book, Potter, is about how to become an Anigmus. I expect that you will need my help on that also." She then turned and left. 


	5. Reunion

Reunion

Disclaimer: I am not J.K Rowling nor do I own any part of Harry Potter.

A/N: Thanks again for all the reads and, as always, I need more reviews! Thanks also to Mudblood428 for another excruciatingly good beta job!

"Whatzagoinon?" exclaimed Harry, clutching his wand from the bedside table as he rolled off the bed. When he hit the ground he spun around, pointing his wand at the familiar pair of ginger-haired twins that had just Apparated onto his bed.

"Going to jinx us into oblivion, Harry?" asked George smirking.

"Geez, let's remember to never get on Harry's bad side," remarked Fred who looked quite awake for three o'clock in the morning.

"What are you doing here this early?"

"Did we not give you a note announcing that we would be blessing you with our company tonight?" replied Fred.

"Oh…yeah. Do you always have to Apparate onto my bed?"

"Yes," George answered simply.

"So, what is it you two wanted to give me?" Harry asked warily.

"Patience, patience young Harry."

"Yes, all will be revealed in good time. Kids these days are getting too impatient, don't you think, George?"

"I quite agree"  
"As you know, for about two years we have had a small line of self-defense items. What you don't know is that lately we have been working our bloody brains out to expand our line. And now we've perfected our first addition to the Weasley Wizard's Wheezes new Powerful Protection Products line."

"So…What was the invention?" inquired Harry after a short moment of silence.

"Oh, yeah. Well, one day I had an idea and I asked Fred, 'What is it that every watchful wizard needs?' and he replies, 'A really good shield charm?' and he said, 'No, well yes, but that's not what I'm thinking of.' And this is where my genius kicks in Harry."

"Genius, George? Really?" Fred replied.

"Yes Fred, genius. Anyways, Harry, I came up with a transporter. It's like Apparating, but many Wizards find that when they are fighting they can't pause and concentrate enough to Apparate. So I have the Transporting Token. It isn't technically Apparition, so it can take you in and out of places that have anti-Apparition enchantments on them."

As George finished speaking he pulled out an orange disk about the size of a Galleon and passed it to Harry.

"See, all you have to do is point your wand at it and say, 'Apparitus', and it will transport you to wherever you programmed it to take you."

"And, how do you program it?" asked Harry.

"Oh yeah, all you have to do is point your wand at it and think about where you want it to take you while either thinking or saying aloud, 'Locarius'."

"Isn't this just like a Portkey?"

"No, not exactly like one, although we had to do a lot of work with Portkeys to get this to work. See, with a Portkey you have to make contact with it and anyone can use it. But with Transporter Token, you only have to be able to see it. It could be on the other side of the room and all you would have to do is point your wand at it and say the magic word. Also, it only works for the person who programmed it. The only way to take someone with you is to touch them. So lets say that you left your Transporter Token somewhere and some Death Eater stumbles upon it and happened to know the spell to use it. When he tried it wouldn't let him use it. Finally, and this comes in real handy if your doing a bit of sneaking, it's completely silent! No infuriating 'crack' giving you way," finished Fred excitedly.

"How did you not get caught working with all those Portkeys? Doesn't the Ministry closely monitor that?"

"Well, at first, we had to be really careful. We only did our research at Hogwarts. The ministry didn't catch onto us because anyone could have been making them; heck, it could have been Dumbledore. But now we don't have to worry about it at all. The part of the Department of Transportation that monitored Illegal Portkey Use has been reassigned to other tasks while You - Know - Who is on the loose."

"Well, thanks guys! This will come in handy."

"Hold on, we're not just giving you one. We have a bag with ten or fifteen of these things in it."

"Wow, that's really brilliant guys. Thanks again for all of these"  
"No problem. We haven't forgotten who got us started," replied Fred before he took a disk out of his pocket, placed it on Harry's bed, and gripped George's hand muttering, 'Apparitus'. He and George then disappeared without a sound.

Harry woke up the morning of Bill's and Fluer's wedding with a pang of dread in his stomach. He did not know what he was supposed to do when they called for the rest of the Weasley family to join the newly-wed couple on the dance floor; he had originally planned to dance with Ginny, but now, with Ginny not even looking at him, how could she stand to dance with him?

Some people had already arrived for the wedding. Fleur's family had arrived the night before and stayed in the twins' room with plenty sighs and scoffs. Harry had to move over to Ron's room to accommodate them. Katie and Angelina had not arrived until this morning; they were to be escorted down the isle by the twins. He walked down stairs for an early breakfast before the final preparations were finished. Mrs. Weasley was running around the kitchen, caught between finishing breakfast, frosting an enormous wedding cake, and starting a meal for about thirty people to be served later that evening. Ron and Hermione were sitting at the table wolfing down some toast and eggs before getting to work themselves. Ginny was nowhere to be seen.

"Good morning, Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley greeted, a little out of breath. "Have some breakfast and then I have a few chores for you before we go through a quick rehearsal and then we get dressed for the wedding!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley, but I'm not really that hungry," he responded, having felt sick to his stomach ever since hearing the words 'quick rehearsal'.

"Nonsense, you have to eat."

Knowing it was no use to resist food from Mrs. Weasley, Harry grabbed a piece of toast and munched on it a little. Hermione gave him an examining look, noticing that something wasn't quite right. Ron, however, was completely oblivious to Harry's change in demeanor, trying to eat as much toast as possible before having to get to work.

Harry had finished his few chores distractedly, barely noticing that he had the fewest of the lot. He was now heading to the garden where a pavilion had been erected. When he arrived the Weasleys were all in a back room separated from the main hall. Mrs. Weasley was grouping everybody in order of how they would walk down the isle.

Ron and Hermione were together in front. Then Harry was paired with Ginny, whose head was down, though she didn't have her usual blank expression. Rather, she looked thoughtful and uncomfortable. Harry studied her for a moment before looking down himself and caught her glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. The music started and they walked down the aisle at a slow march arm and arm. The entire rehearsal Harry and Ginny did not look at each other.

Harry was up in Ron's room getting ready with Bill, Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley. The girls were getting dressed in Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room as well as Ginny's. Harry stayed silent, receiving help every now and then from Mr. Weasley, while listening to the constant stream of banter between the twins and Bill.

"Honestly, Bill, I don't see why you're getting tied down in your prime. I mean, I know you aren't the ladies man like Fred and me, but honestly this is early."

"Well, of course it's a good thing you had it planned before the accident - no woman would have you now…" Fred stopped early because, at that moment, Bill had chucked a shoe at him that he was just able duck under. Harry stopped paying attention to them after a while and when he was done he went down and greeted guests as Mrs. Weasley had asked him to.

At a quarter till five Harry headed back down to the pavilion. Through the crack in the curtain Harry could see that Bill and Mr. Weasley were already before the minister awaiting the start of the service. Suddenly music began and Harry felt an arm run through his. He looked over and saw before him the most beautiful thing he had ever seen: Ginny Weasley with her hair in a intricate knot and her face framed by two ginger curls. She had on a strapless baby blue dress and strapped shoes. Harry looked on in astonishment before he noticed that Ginny still had the same extremely uncomfortable look on her face and was pointedly looking away from him.

It was after the wedding, and the reception was nearing its end. There were only a few people still around besides the Weasley and Delacour families, which on their own made up a good number of people. Harry was in the middle of a conversation with Fred, George, and Ron, though not really contributing to it much, when he felt a tug on his sleeve.

"May I have a word?" asked Ginny. After noticing that the others were listening intently Ginny added, "In private."

"Sure." Harry answered his breath hitching in his throat.

Ginny led them to the room at the back of the pavilion. Harry was starring at his feet but Ginny grabbed his chin and pulled his gaze into her eyes. "That's better." she said, as a smile spread across her face.

"Harry, now don't get me wrong, I am still upset with you about leaving me in the dark about the prophecy and your plans with Ron and Hermione, but I reckon I overreacted. I shouldn't nave blocked you out completely. I guess I should have expected something like this from you as noble and stupidly brave as you are, but we need to talk and sort some things out. I just wanted you to know I am still your girlfriend."

He had thought that it was all over for him and Ginny. Grinning ear to ear he leaned in and gave Ginny a kiss on the lips that she quickly deepened. Finally, breaking apart, they joined the rest of the people in the pavilion.

Harry looked over at her as they walked through the crowd and said what he had wanted to all night, "You look beautiful tonight, Gin." 


	6. Pending Removal Not a Chapter

The Meeting

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling nor do I own any part of Harry Potter. I am just a lowly fanfic writer.

A/N: Sorry it took so long guys. Like I said my computer has been down and I just got it back up. This is my longest chapter yet so I hope you like it. As always review, review, review. I get so many reads and yet so few reviews. I need them to know how I'm doing! And, as always, thank you so much Mudblood 428 for your awesome beta reading!

Harry was beginning to feel anxious. It had been a week since he wrote to McGonagall and he still hadn't gotten a response. It just didn't seem like her to not reply as soon as possible, especially about something so important.

Harry had three days until his birthday. He really didn't want a big party, but he knew the Weasleys were going to make a huge deal about his coming of age. After his birthday there was two weeks until the wedding and then a little over one week until they returned to Hogwarts.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the kitchen eating breakfast with the rest of the Weasleys. Ginny was at the other end of the table, hunched over her plate, eating mechanically. Harry knew he should have talked to her sooner after she heard of his and Ron's and Hermione's plans to track down Voldemort's Horcruxes. Now it was harder than ever to confront her. Harry was just about to get up and leave from the table when he noticed four black specks in the sky, heading straight for the Burrow.

"I think our Hogwarts letters are coming," he announced to the others.

Hermione gave a little squeal and ran to open the kitchen window. Four beautiful tawny owls flew threw the window and landed on the kitchen table, legs outstretched. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stepped forward to untie there letters. Hermione paused before opening hers.

"No, I can't. I can't look. I didn't make Head Girl - I just know it; we've broken too many rules."

Ron let out a sound of disgust and ripped her envelope open for her. Out fell a scarlet badge with HG carved into it. Hermione let out another squeal and picked up her badge and started jumping up and down in excitement.

"No, I don't believe it, I'm Head Boy!" exclaimed Ron. Mrs. Weasley flew across the room and embraced Ron in a monstrous hug.

Harry could hear her muffled voice saying, "Bill, Percy, and now Ron, three in one family!"

Harry, on the other hand, had his note out reading one part over and over again. There will be no Quidditch this year.

"What's wrong Harry? You look upset," asked Hermione having noticed Harry's troubled expression.

"Well I guess I should have realized we wouldn't have it."

"Have what?" asked Ron.

"Quidditch… they canceled Quidditch this year. Which means I won't be captain, and won't be able to hang out with you guys during your duties."

"Well, it'll be okay. It worked out fifth year didn't it?"

Harry knew Ron was trying to make him feel better. But he still was going to miss the sport greatly, and it was going to be hard to be without his friends, especially now.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry woke up the day of his birthday and jumped with glee. He could do magic outside of Hogwarts! He grabbed his wand from his side table and summoned his glasses to him even though they were right beside him. He then summoned all his clothes and his watch. Harry walked down stairs a little earlier than usual to meet Ron and Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley was taking Harry and Ron to their apparition tests that morning. Mrs. Weasley had already cooked up some eggs and toast for them to eat before they left. After breakfast they walked outside where they found a ministry car awaiting them.

"Scrimgeour isn't letting you travel anywhere without a guard or a ministry car," said Mr. Weasley.

"He's trying to show everyone that he's protecting me. He's still trying to get publicity for the ministry," said Harry in an angry tone.

In a surprisingly fast time the car pulled up to a back entrance to the ministry. Mr. Weasley led them through an employee's entrance where there was a good deal less people and security was more slack. After being poked and prodded by several devices and having their wands checked three different times, they were allowed into the ministry. Mr. Weasley steered them to the lifts and took them to the floor where the lady's cool voice said, "Apparition testing facility". Harry and Ron were then lead to a through a door and arrived at a long counter with several ladies working.

"Hello and how may I help you?" asked one lady kindly.

"Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are here to take their Apparition tests," stated Mr. Weasley.

"Harry Potter! Why, it is! It's Harry Potter!" announced the woman excitedly causing her fellow workers to look over excitedly as well.

After the excitement went down they were lead through the solid oak doors, down a brightly lit hallway, and through another set of doors to a large circular room full of differently colored rings and partitioning walls. Off to the left was an office that had a large window overlooking the ring-filled room. This was where the witch took them.

"Just go inside and give him these forms," said the witch kindly. She then tapped one of he forms and ink spread across it from where her wand tip hit it rather like the Marauder's map. She then did the same to the other form. After she was done she handed the forms to Mr. Weasley and walked off.

Mr. Weasley knocked on the door and a thin voiced answered from behind it. The door opened to find the same wizard that had come to Hogwarts for their training. Mr. Weasley handed him the forms and he looked over them for a second before looking up.

"Alright, everything seems to be in order. You first, I should think," he said pointing to Ron. "You are to Apparate out of my office into a red ring on the other side of that partition wall. Then Apparate to a green one in the middle of the room. Then Apparate to the orange ring on this side of the same wall as before, and then back into my office okay? Oh, and you are allowed to miss one ring by three feet. More than that distance or more than that many times and you fail."

He had said this rather fast and Ron needed it repeated several times before he was ready.

Looking like he was going to be sick he spun on his heel and with a crack Harry saw him arrive in the designated area. He had Apparated to the very center of the circle. A smile spread across his face and he gave a thumbs-up to Harry. Harry returned it before Ron Apparated again to the center of the room, where, again, he landed in the center of the ring. He spun again, but this time he landed a little out of the circle. Ron looked a little disappointed, but it was within three feet. He then spun once more, where he landed directly in front of the inspector, hand outstretched for his license.

"Very well," said the man before handing over Ron's license, "Now for you. You do the same thing he did"  
Harry nodded and spun on his heel, focusing his whole mind, and body, on that ring. He landed perfectly. He did it again and again, and then finally back into the inspector's office.

"Well well, a perfect score. Here's your license."

Harry was going to say something to Ron about his exceptional score, but thought it better not to after remembering Ron's problems with seemingly always being mediocre. Soon after Mr. Weasley led them back out of the facility where they rode the lifts to the atrium.

"Dad, why don't we Apparate home?" asked Ron eagerly.

"Alright on my count. One, two, three."

With a crack Harry, Ron, and Mr. Weasley were standing in the garden. Harry and them walked up to the house and turned the knob. When he opened the kitchen door there was a loud pop and streamers flew over him while many voices yelled, "Surprise!"

Standing in front of him were about twenty witches and wizards, most of whom were people he knew from the Order of the Phoenix. The kitchen was decked in balloons and streamers and had glitter falling from the ceiling like snow. In the very center of the kitchen, on the table was a huge cake that had to have seven or eight layers. Across the top it said, "Happy 17th Harry".

"Wow, thank you guys!" exclaimed Harry.

Harry made his rounds through the people before dinner started, but he had that ever present feeling that this was just out of place. Having this great, happy time when Harry knew that he was just about plunge into this deadly adventure seemed bittersweet.

As he walked through the party he saw that Tonks, Lupin, Hagrid, Neville, Mad-Eye, Kingsley Shacklbolt, Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, Seamus Finnegan, and Dean Thomas had all showed up. At last he turned a corner and there was Professor McGonagall.

"Potter, I'm sorry I didn't respond but work has been very busy and I knew that I would be attending this party, and, of course I couldn't tell you that I could meet you at the party without spoiling the surprise."

"That's okay Professor. Is it alright if we wait till after the dinner? It should be ready soon and this should take a while"  
"Of course."

Right on time Mrs. Weasley called them all over to the table to have dinner. It was all Harry's favorite foods and candies. They sat around talking and eating and laughing. Harry was having a great time, but was feeling anxious for it to be over to work things over with Professor McGonagall. At the end of the dinner the Twins jumped up to lead them in singing "Happy Birthday Harry" and then demanded cake and presents. So as Mrs. Weasley cut the cake and started diving out pieces, Mr. Weasley went to the closet and levitated all the presents to the table.

As soon as their cake was finished the Twins went to the pile and grabbed to big bags and handed them to Harry. He opened the first bag and found several of his favorite candies and some of their famous joke wands and trick candies. In the other bag he found the latest in shield cloaks and dark detectors and pretty much the Twin's entire line of protection inventions. He also found a note that read: We will meet you tonight in your room for an extra surprise. Harry wasn't quite sure he wanted to know what this surprise was. After this, Harry got his presents from Dean, Neville, Hermione (a book of advance enchantments and spells), Seamus, Kingsley, and Fleur and Bill. Then came Hagrid's present. It was book named, Monstrous Monsters by: Mathilda Magaby, and a big bag of Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. After that was Lupin's and Tonk's, which turned out to be a knife a lot like the one Sirius gave him, but instead of just being able to unlock doors in also detected enchantments and protective spells. Next was Mad-Eye's present. Harry unwrapped it hastily and found it to be a flask like his and an advanced sneak-o-scope. After this came McGonagall's which was a book on Transfiguration and a book covered in paper that read, "Open in private." Harry looked up at her questioningly, but she just simply smiled. Next to last came Ron's. It was a surprisingly a book. Written across the front in curvy gold letters was: Useful Charms and How to Do Them. Finally, the last present was from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"You didn't have to get me anything. After letting me stay in your house, giving me food, and throwing me his party … it's too much."

"Nonsense, we had to get you a present," replied Mrs. Weasley.

Harry opened it and to his amazement it was a Pensieve.

"But, how could get one of these? Where did you find it?"

"It was actually Dumbledore's. He told me to give it to you when you came of age, er, about a month before he died," explained Mr. Weasley.

"Wow, thank you. This is amazing!" He ran up and embraced Mrs. Weasley and then turned and shook Mr. Weasley's hand.

After that the party moved into the den where people split up into small groups and started forming many different conversations. Harry did his best to move from conversation to conversation and see all his guests and friends but all he could think about as seeing Professor McGonagall as soon as possible. As time slipped by so did guests. Neville, Dean, and Seamus left together to head home. After them Lupin and Tonks had to go and then Mad-Eye informed Harry that he had been away from his home too long. Kingsley had to head back to the ministry and Hagrid said that he really should be heading back to Hogwarts. Finally, Bill and Fleur had to go back to their house; they would be leaving tomorrow morning to spend some time with Fleur's family before the wedding.

So it was just the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Professor McGonagall.

"Molly, can I have a word with the children alone, maybe in the twin's old room?"

"Why of course Minerva," replied Mrs. Weasley with a questioning sort of tone.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron followed Professor McGonagall up the stairs to the Twin's old room. Once inside she shut the door behind them and did several wand movements.

"I made it Importable, and put a Silencing Charm on it, we don't want to be disturbed. So, you said you had some things to discuss, and that it was about what Professor Dumbledore was doing last year"  
"Yes, Ron, Hermione, and I can only come back to Hogwarts if we can leave whenever we need to. And we wish to have private lessons with you on advanced spells and dueling," explained Harry, rather quickly.

"Mr. Potter, you had better have a good reason for this. No student is allowed to just, leave school whenever they please. And why would you need lessons on advanced dueling? What are you three planning?" She sounded tense and they could tell that she wasn't happy with what they were asking for.

Harry began to tell her everything that he and Dumbledore had done in his 6th year; how they learned about Voldemort's history, and learned about Voldemort making himself immortal through his seven Horcruxes and what they might be.

"Dumbledore then started to give me private lessons to prepare me to find these Horcruxes and destroy them, and, eventually, Voldemort himself," said Harry.

"The night that Dumbledore died we had gone out to find a Horcrux and he had been weakened by the experience. It ended up that Horcrux was a fake too. But before he died he taught me all that he knew abut the Horcruxes and it is now my and my friend's jobs to find them and destroy them and then destroy Voldemort," Harry explained.

"But," interjected Hermione, speaking for the first time since the conversation started, "We don't know how to destroy Horcruxes, or break through strong enchantments, or are we advanced enough to take on Voldemort or many of his Death Eaters, nor are we positive of what the Horcruxes are."

Professor McGonagall was quiet for a while, and then she finally spoke.

"But you don't really expect to do this, do you? You're children, you're… this is something for an advanced team of Aurors, not three school children."

"That's just it. Aurors can't do it. We have to, and without your help if we have to. This is what Dumbledore expected us to do and this is what he planned. He planned for us three to do it and we need your guidance and training. We need you to support us and we need your lessons. Also Hogwarts is a good and safe place and a wonderful headquarters for us to work out of. And, Dumbledore said that one of the Horcruxes might be there. We need to be able to come back to school. Will you please help us?"

There was another long silence where McGonagall seemed to be in deep thought over all they just told her. A resolution seemed to reach her face.

"I will. I will help you and I will allow this to happen, but I will know all of what is going on. Nothing will be hidden from me, understand"  
"Yes ma'am!" replied all three of them excitedly.

She got up and waved her wand removing the charms. She was just about to leave when she turned around and said, "That book, Potter, is about how to become an Anigmus. I expect that you will need my help on that also." She then turned and left. 


End file.
